Chapter 1: Chapter 1 – Roots and Branches

Year 1

Where am I?

 

An endless void?

 

Is this the afterlife?

 

…

 

What am I?

 

Who am I?

 

…

 

I can’t remember.

 

Year 2 - Month 1

[Branch 1 unlocked! Select a skill.]

[Fire Magic] - Magic based around fire.

[Nature Magic] - Magic based around nature.

[Shadow Magic] - Magic based around shadows.

 

Magic? How am I even reading this? I don’t see anything… whatever…

 

Oh well. Shadow magic I guess.

 

[Branch 1: Shadow Magic selected!]

Year 2 - Month 3

[Branches 1.1 and 1.2 unlocked! Select skills.]

 

[Branch 1.1]

[Disguise] - Copy the looks of a being.

[Blend with the Shade] - Invisibility in the darkness.

[Shadow Stalk] - The darkness guides.

 

[Branch 1.2]

[Assassinate] - A firm stab into the soft parts.

[Shadow Leap] - Localized teleportation from the shadows.

[Camoflauge] - Blend in.

 

That’s more interesting. Also… branches? Am I a tree?

 

I guess… [Blend with the Shade] because the name is long and… [Shadow Leap] because who wouldn’t want to teleport?

 

[Branch 1.1: Blend with the Shade selected!]

[Branch 1.2: Shadow Leap selected!]

 

[Displaying tree…]

[Branch 1: Shadow Magic]

[Branch 1.1: Blend with the Shade]

[Branch 1.1.1: Growing…]

[Branch 1.2: Shadow Leap]

[Branch 1.3: Growing…]

[Branch 1.4: Growing…]

[Branch 1.5: Growing…]

[Branch 2: Growing…]

 

…I think this is going to get annoying very quickly. Then again. I can’t do anything so I guess it’ll be alright. Hopefully, branch two is interesting.

Year 2 - Month 6

[Branches 1.1.1, 1.3, 1.4, and 2 unlocked! Select skills.]

 

[Branch 1.1.1]

[Sync with the Shade] - The peaceful sound of silence.

[Blind with the Shade] - Cover your trails.

[Feel with the Shade] - Detect your foes.

 

Interesting… they just get more specialized. Is there a limit? I think I’ll choose… [Sync with the Shade].

 

If only I could actually use these skills.

 

[Branch 1.3]

[Disguise] - Copy the looks of a being.

[Shadow Stalk] - The darkness guides.

[Shadow Shriek] - The shadow calls for you.

 

It keeps the previous options. That’s a bit disappointing. Let’s go with [Shadow Stalk].

 

[Branch 1.4]

[Assassinate] - A firm stab into the soft parts.

[Camoflauge] - Blend in.

[Shadow Bind] - The shadow envelops you without your consent.

 

[Assassinate] I suppose.

 

[Branch 2]

[Fire Magic] - Magic based around fire.

[Nature Magic] - Magic based around nature.

[Water Magic] - Magic based around water.

 

Trees need water, right? Maybe I can water myself eventually? [Water Magic] it is.

 

[Branch 1.1.1: Sync with the Shade selected!]

[Branch 1.3: Shadow Stalk selected!]

[Branch 1.4: Assassinate selected!]

[Branch 2: Water Magic selected!]

 

[Displaying tree…]

[Branch 1: Shadow Magic]

[Branch 1.1: Blend with the Shade]

[Branch 1.1.1: Sync with the Shade]

[Branch 1.1.1.1: Growing…]

[Branch 1.1.2: Growing…]

[Branch 1.1.3: Growing…]

[Branch 1.2: Shadow Leap]

[Branch 1.2.1: Growing…]

[Branch 1.2.2: Growing…]

[Branch 1.3: Shadow Stalk]

[Branch 1.3.1: Growing…]

[Branch 1.4: Assassinate]

[Branch 1.5: Growing…]

[Branch 1.6: Growing…]

[Branch 1.7: Growing…]

[Branch 2: Water Magic]

[Branch 2.1: Growing…]

[Branch 2.2: Growing…]

[Branch 3: Growing…]

 

Okay, this will get annoying. Will I ever get some personal upgrades? Also, what do these skills even do? Can I give them to people? Are there even people? Where am I?

 

Year 2 - Month 7

[Root 1 unlocked! Select an augment.]

 

A root?

 

[Root 1]

[Aura of Peace] - A tranquil tree.

[Nature Sense] - Sense nature.

[Tank Tree] - Your bark is commendable.

 

Ah. So roots are my upgrades. Maybe the branches grow skill fruits or something? Also, why did the root take so much longer? Shouldn’t the root have been first? Maybe it needs to be thicker to get an augment…

 

Well, I’m tired of seeing nothing. [Nature Sense], I choose you!

 

[Root 1: Nature Sense selected!]

 

[Displaying roots…]

[Root 1: Nature Sense]

[Root 1.1: Growing…]

[Root 2: Growing…]

 

Finally! Sight! Sort of… I can sense some grass around me, and my tree's own body. I think I’m about four meters tall. Kind of short. That’s about it. It looks like I can sense… around five meters in each direction? Not a very large detection region. Oh well. Guess I’ll sleep for a few more months.

 

Year 3 - Month 1

[27 branches available and 4 roots available! For your convenience, options will only be displayed when requested.]

 

[Achievement unlocked: Planner (D) - Have twenty-five unselected branches/roots.]

[Achievement unlocked: Fruit of Life (D) - Someone’s life was saved using a skill you provided.]

[Achievement unlocked: Reverence (D) - Someone has prayed to you.]

You are reading story The Skill Tree at novel35.com

 

[Follower count increased. Current followers: 1]

 

[You have reached level 2. Option Freedom unlocked.]

 

Wow. A lot happened during my nap. First off, way too many branches. Seriously. Uh, can I, like, suppress all growth notifications? I should have enough to do whatever I want so I’ll just save them.

 

[Suppressing all future growth notifications.]

 

Second, achievements. Tiered achievements. Okay. And followers? Am I a god or something? My Nature sense seems to have expanded a bit, there's still just grass but I can see a few meters farther. Lastly, what’s Option Freedom? Let’s see…

 

[Innate Ability: Option Freedom - Allows you to choose anything you wish for branches or roots assuming you have enough destiny points.]

 

How many destiny points do I have?

 

[Destiny points: 135 (+30 (D tier) +5 (follower) +100 (level up)]

 

Huh. Is that a lot? It feels like a lot. But I don’t have anything to base it on. Let’s think… what would I want to upgrade? I guess I’d want a body or something. Like an avatar.

 

[Root upgrade: Human Avatar - Cost: 1,000,000 - Create a human avatar.]

 

Okay then. Guess not. Well first, maybe a sense life thing? Are there any limits on what I can put on roots or branches?

 

[All choices must coincide with their parent branch.]

 

Okay. Display my roots but hide the growing and unselected ones.

 

[Displaying roots…]

[Root 1: Nature Sense]

 

Display my roots with [Nature Sense] as their parent.

 

[Displaying roots…]

[Root 1: Nature Sense]

[Root 1.1: Available]

[Root 1.1.1: Available]

[Root 1.2: Available]

 

Can I put… like something for sensing life in root 1.1?

 

[Root 1.1: Life Sense - Cost: Free (Already an option) - Sense all life forms around you.]

 

Oh. Yea. Do that.

 

[Root 1.1: Life Sense selected!]

 

My senses suddenly expanded a dozen or so meters. I seemed to be located in the middle of some plains. Right on the edge of my detection, I could feel a small bush, besides that, there was simply grass. However, the bush had a rabbit! And there’s a human… leaning against me. I couldn’t see any clothes or anything but… uh… they are a female. I wonder what my gender is. Do I have a gender? Anyway, is this my one follower? Can I communicate with it?

 

Is there a telepathy root I could put for root two?

 

[Root 2: Telepathy - Cost: 1000 - Communicate directly with any being capable of speech (automatically translates).]

 

Ah. That’s a bit pricey. Much better than the avatar I suppose… I guess I’ll sleep a while longer. Hopefully more happens.

 

Year 5 - Month 1

[Achievement unlocked: Grand Planner (C) - Have fifty unselected branches/roots.]

[Achievement unlocked: Leader (B) - Own a cult of one hundred or more members.]

[Achievement unlocked: Holy Monument (B) - Become a valued figure.]

[Achievement unlocked: Spreading Seeds (D) - Grow one hundred fruit.]

[Achievement unlocked: Diversity (C) - Have followers from multiple races.]

 

[Follower count: 126]

 

[You have reached level 3. No new unlocks.]

[You have reached level 4. No new unlocks.]

 

[Destiny Points: 1110 (breakdown?)]

 

That's a lot. Uh. View breakdown.

 

[Destiny Point Start: 135]

[+625 (followers)]

[+10 (D tier)]

[+40 (C tier)]

[+100 (B tier)]

[+200 (level up)]

 

Now let’s see… ah the human is still there. They seem larger now. Well, it has been a while. Now let's purchase telepathy.

 

[Root 2: Telepathy selected!]

[Destiny Points: 110]

 

Now how do I use this?

 

I tried to reach out my nature senses and focus on the human, before speaking… Hello?

 

Suddenly, she shot up and looked around all over. Until she replied in her mind. Hello?

 

Hello!

 

Uh… Hello? Who are you?

 

I’m… Who am I? I am… Tree-san. Yes. That sounds right. I don’t know what san means but it sounds right. I’m Tree-san.

 

Tree-san? Why’d you say -san? Isn’t that only for talking about other people?

 

Ah… I’m not good at speaking it seems. Sorry. I am Tree.

 

Okay, Tree-sama.

 

Are you my follower?

 

The system says I am. That’s why I come back every day. Ever since I took one of your fruit. It gave me a skill. I’ve been giving them to my friends.

 

That’s nice. So my fruits do give skills. Very nice indeed. What is your name?

 

Ah, I’m Lily Twilight.

 

Very well. Lily Twilight, I officially name you the first of the Order of the Tree! If I can have followers, I need to use them, right? I must establish a group.

 

Wah… I actually got a title from that.

 

I see. This system thing recognizes my dominance. So, uh, any skills you think I should add?

 

Actually. Is there a way to make the skills permanent? The fruit descriptions say they last a certain length, but if they were permanent… it would be worth a lot.

 

Interesting… Wait. Wouldn’t that make people try to chop me down? Or take me for themselves? I don’t think I’d like that. I don’t want to be a war ground. Wouldn’t that make me a target?

 

Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll protect you.

 

Uh. How? Not that I doubt her, but she does seem like a young girl…

 

This tree is in our royal courtyard! I’m Crown Princess Lily Twilight. The sole heir to the Imperial Throne of the Twilight Empire.

 

Wait. She’s royalty?! Okay. Whatever. So can I make skills permanent?

 

[Branch 1.1.1.1: Permanent Skill - Cost: 250 - Makes the parent skill permanent when eaten.]

 

I see… I’ll need many more followers.

 

I will not be able to do that soon. I need many more followers but I can in time. How long do the skills last?

 

Oh. Okay. I’ll try to bring more people. Maybe I can convince the knights to all pledge to protect you… It should work.

 

I know she’s a princess, but will that really work? Does becoming my follower even do anything? Are there any benefits to following me?

 

Of course! Following you doubles our mana and health regeneration rate.

 

I’m not sure how special that is. Can I add more benefits? Maybe… a speed boost?

 

[Root 3: Path of Divinity - Cost: 100 - Enhance your followers with basic additive boosts to agility, strength, and vitality.]

 

That sounds nice. Purchase.

 

[Root 3: Path of Divinity selected!]

[Destiny Points: 10]

 

Wow! You added more boosts? Okay, I’ll definitely be able to get them all to pledge. I’ll be back later!

 

Bye-bye! Time for a nap.

 

Year 5 - Month 6

I took a six-month nap. It was longer than I intended. But that’s okay.

 

[Achievement unlocked: Ultimate Planner (B) - Have one hundred unselected branches/roots.]

[Achievement unlocked: Hierarchy (C) - Establish a social order among your followers.]

[Achievement unlocked: Defense (C) - Establish a group to protect you.]

[Achievement unlocked: Chosen One (B) - Select a leader that represents your ideals.]

[Achievement unlocked: True Cult (S) - Have over ten thousand members.]

[Achievement unlocked: Roots of a Cult (A) - Have over one thousand members.]

 

[Follower count: 28694]

 

[You have reached level 5. Ruler Management Screen unlocked.]

[You have reached level 6. No new unlocks.]

[You have reached level 7. No new unlocks.]

[You have reached level 8. No new unlocks.]

 

[You have been designated as a holy figure in the Twilight Empire giving you limited access to their Ruler Management Screen.]

 

[Destiny Points: 143340 (breakdown?)]

 

Holy shit. A hundred and forty-three thousand!? I guess a million isn’t too insane anymore. Sadly I can’t see anyone around me. I’m not sure of my range, but I can see that I’m in the center of a square patch of grass around thirty by thirty meters. I guess I’ll sleep for a day or so until the princess comes back. She probably still visits, right?

 

---

 

Tree-san’s stats: